Apparatus for folding paper and like material



March 22, 1960 C. E. BROOKER APPARATUS FOR FOLDING PAPER AND LIKE MATERIAL Filed March 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l 9 K1 ,fsQ 5 L 35% x Eli- Q. u 7

y Elm k llzvuentor C, 5.5.?!) 01:62

March 22, 1960 c. E. BROOKER 2,929,624

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING PAPER AND LIKE MATERIAL Filed March 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 sheets of paper Unite APEPARATUS FOR FDLDING PAIER AND LIKE MATEREAL Christopher Eroolrer, "London, England, assignor to Jeyes Sanitary Compounds Company Limited, London, England This invention relates to apparatus for folding paper and like material and more particularly to apparatus for producing single folded sheets of paper interfolded with one another in packs suitable for domestic and industrial purposes.

in apparatus of this character heretofore known, the have usually been folded in half so as to form a pack of suitable size for insertion in a container or receptacle, but it has recently been found desidable in the interests of economy to be able to reduce the size of the unfolded sheets without at the same time altering the overall size of the folded sheets when folded together into a pack.

The invention accordingly consists in an apparatus for producing single folded sheets of paper interfolded with one another to form a pack, wherein means are provided whereby each sheet is folded eccentrically in such a way that the folded parts of each sheet have different lengths.

According to the preferred arrangement, the apparatus comprises a pair of control rollers for cutting two continuous strips of paper into predetermined lengths as they are fed into the apparatus, stripper means for removing the cut sheets from the control rollers, a pair of folding rollers for receiving the cut sheets as they leave the control rollers, and a pair of reciprocal finger bars for completing the folding operation effected by the folding roller" wherein the folding rollers have a diameter greater than that of the control rollers but are caused to rotate at the same speed as the control rollers, whereby the folding of each sheet is effected eccentrically instead of in half.

Preferably, each of the aforesaid folding rollers is provided with a plurality of spaced attachment means on its circumference for temporarily gripping each sheet of paper during the first part of the folding operation, and the said fin er bars are pivotally mounted and controlled by cam means so as to execute reciprocating movements successively with respect to one another and complete the interfolding of the successive sheets of paper, the distance between successive attachment means when measured round the circumference of either folding roller being substantially equal to a cut sheet of paper, when folded.

in order that the cut sheets may be successively interfolded, the attachment means on the two folding rollers may be so arran ed as to be intermediate to one another so that successive sheets are engaged by the different rollers alternately.

One convenient manner of carrying the invention into fr'ect is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically an end elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention for producing single folded sheets of paper interfolded with one another to form a pack; and

Figure 2 shows diagrammatically an end elevation of States atet a modified form of machine for producing a similar result.

Referring first to Figure l of these drawings, we construct the machine in two substantially similar halves, each of which is provided with a set of operating rollers, and for the sake of convenience the rollers disposed in the rear half are lettered A, B etc., while the similar rollers disposed in the front half are lettered AA, BB etc.

Rollers A, B and AA and B3 are feed rollers for controlling the feed of two Webs of paper, C and CC are cutting rollers and D and DD are control rollers for determining the length of each sheet of paper, each of the control rollers D and DD being provided with diametrically opposed slots S and SS for co-operating with a projecting knife in its respective cutting roller, the slots in these rollers being disposed out of phase with one another so that the sheets of paper will overlap one another as they are cut from the two Webs. -Rollers E and EE are folding rollers for receiving the cut sheets from the control rollers D and DD and between these two sets of rollers an arrangement of stripper bars SB is provided for disengaging the cut sheets from the control rollers D and DD and guiding them into the folding rollers E and E5. The latter rollers are slightly larger in diameter than the control rollers D and DD for the pur ose to be hereinafter described, and each folding roller is provided around its circumference with cam controlled grippers 5, o, 7, 3 for temporarily engaging the out sheets as they reach the folding rollers, while immediately below these rollers are two pivotally mounted finger bars F and FF having curved arms M, MM, these bars being controlled by cams so as to move up and down and effect the interfolding of the sheets of paper S? as they leave the folding rollers and assemble them into a pack in the receiving container K.

in operation, paper P enters the rear half of the machine from a parent reel and is driven by the felt covered rollers A and B. These rollers provide a constant friction drive which ensures and maintains unvarying delivery of the exact length of paper required by the control roller D, half the circumference of which roller determines the length of the sheet to be produced.

On leaving rollers A and B, the paper passes between cutting roller C in which is fixed a projecting knife, and control roller D in which latter roller are out two slots S at 186 intervals and which is fitted with pins positioned along the trailing edge of the slot. When the projecting knife in roller C is coincident with one of the slots in roller D, the paper is severed and one sheet is formed. The severed sheet continues to follow round the circumference of the roller D, being controlled by the pins; When the leading edge of the cut sheet reaches the point at which roller D and roller DD almost touch, the stripping bar SB, slightly inset into the circumference of roller D, strips the sheet off this roller. As this occurs, rollers D and DD drive the sheet vertically downwards into the folding rollers E and EB. The distance between the points at which rollers D and DD almost touch and the point at which folding rollers E and EE almost touch is highly critical and is so determined that folding rollers E and EE take control of the sheet and drive it before the control and drive is lost by rollers D and DD.

Simultaneously, whilst the paper is being processed through the rear half of the machine, paper PP from a second parent reel is being similarly processed through the front half, but the two cycles are so arranged that when the rear sheet is in the vertical position with its front edge engaging the folding rollers E, EE and its rear edge leaving the control rollers D, DD, the leading edge of the front sheet is precisely equidistant from the leading edge and the trailing edge of the rear sheet.

folding rollers rotate.

- Reverting to the first sheet, processed by the rear half of the machine, this is now driven by the folding rollers E and EE which are greater in diameter, by a calculated amount, than rollers D and DD, one quarter of the circumference of the folding rollers E and EE being substantially equal to the length of the sheets when folded. Owing to the diameters of the folding rollers E and EE being greater than'the diameters of rollers D and DD, and to the fact that the former are driven i at the same speed as the latter, when the former take 'over the drive of the rear cut sheet, the sheet advances a distance equal to half the difference in the circumferences of the folding rollers E and EE and the rollers D and DD.

Similarly, when the sheet processed by the front rollers proceeds through the machine cycle and is driven by the folding rollers E and EE, it also advances the same ing blades in folding roller E is in the precise horizontal position it exactly coincides with one of the spring loaded grippers which at this point is in the fully open position. The spring. loaded grippers are opened and closed by suitably arranged cams. V

Reverting again to the cut sheet which was processed 'by the rear half of the machine, this is at that stage of the machine cycle where it is about to be driven by the folding rollers E and EE. Before drive on the sheet actually commences, the leading edge of the sheet is pushed into the gripper No. 7 in the folding roller EE by the projecting blade No. 2 in the folding rollers E. The gripper closes on the edge of the sheet immediately after the projecting blade is Withdrawn as the Whilst the gripper is closingon the edge of the sheet, the finger bar FF is moving upwards to its position in a slot cut to accommodate it in the folding roller EE. This finger bar is at the end of its movement immediately the gripper is closed. As the folding roller EE continues to rotate, the cut sheet is positioned outside the finger bar. Ata point just short of'9t), the gripper opens and the finger bar descends laying the folded sheet in the horizontal position, this being the first sheet of the interfolded pack, it being understood that immediately after gripper No. 7 begins to open and finger bar FF begins to descend, the cut sheet in question is folded eccentrically (i.e. so that the fold is not midway between the two ends of the sheet) by the action of projecting blade No. 3 in folding roller EE pushing it into gripper No. 5 in folding roller E. Simultaneously the leading edge of the next sheet processed by the front half of the machine is also inserted into gripper No. 5. As the folding rollers continue to rotate, gripper No. 5 closes taking control of'the eccentrically folded sheet from folding roller EE and the leading edge of the second sheet processed by the front half of the machine; The trailing portion of the first sheet and the leading portion of the second sheet now followthe circumference of folding roller E to a point just short of 90. At this stage the projecting blade No. 1 in folding roller E and gripper No. 8 in folding roller EE perform the same action as projecting blade No. 2 in folding roller E and gripper No. 7 in folding roller EE as described for the first sheet.

' Finger bar F also operates in the same'manner as have completed one revolution there is stacked in the vertical portion of the delivery tray K three and a part sheets of eccentrically folded paper, the length of the stack being greater than one half the length of the individual sheets as shown in the drawing.

in the modification shown in Figure 2, the general construction of the machine is similar to that of Figure 1, but the folding rollers, E, EE take the form of pin rollers, and the finger bars, F, FF are straight instead of curved.

In this arrangement, paper from one parent reel passes through the rear creasing rollers R and S, which crease it by means of a projecting blade No. 1 in roller S which mates with a V slot No. 2 in roller R. This crease is made at intervals of the precise length of the sheet. From creasing rollers R and S the paper passes between feed roller A and slotted roller D which provide the finger bar FF and the trailing portion of the first sheet a with the leading' portion 'of the second sheet are laid in the, horizontal position in the opposite direction to the leading portion of the first sheet and the trailing portion of the second sheet. ,When the folding rollers E and EB drive. The feed roller A provides a constant friction drive and ensures and maintains unvarying delivery of the exact length of paper required by roller D, the circumference of which determines the length of the sheet. The paper then passes between cutting roller C and slotted roller D, the cutting roller being fitted with a projecting knife and the slotted roller with a slot. The trailing edge of the slot in roller D is fitted with pins at appropriate intervals. When the projecting knife in roller C is coincident with the slot in roller D, the paper is cut, forming the first sheet. The leading edge of the cut sheet 'is controlled by the pins in roller D and the paper continues to follow round the circumference of roller D. By the action of a stripping bar inset slightly below the circumference of roller D, the cut sheet is stripped off roller D and is driven vertically downwards into the pin 'rollers E and EE. The distance between the points at which rollers D and DD and rollers E and EE almost touch is highly critical. This distance is so calculated that the pin rollers E and EE take control of the sheet and drive it before control and drive is lost by rollers D and DD.

Simultaneously, whilst the paper is being processed through the rear half of the machine, paper from the second parent reel is being similarly processed through the front half. There is, however, this difference in the cycle. When the rear sheet is in the'position indicated above, the leading edge of the front sheet is precisely equidistant from the leading edge and the trailing edge of the rear sheet.

Reverting to the first sheet, processedby the rear half of the machine, this is now driven by the pin rollers E and EE which are greater in diameter, by a calculated amount, than rollers D and DD, one half of the circumference of the pin rollers E and EE being substantially equal to thelength of the sheets when folded.

Owing to the diameter of the pin rollers E and EE being greater than the diameters of rollers D and DD, and to the fact that the former are driven atthe same speed'as the latter, when the former take over the drive of the rear cut sheet, it advances a distance equal to the difference in the circumferences of the pin rollers E and EE and the rollers D and DD Similarly when the sheet processed bythe front rollers proceeds through the machine cycle and is driven by the pin rollers E and EE, it also advances the same distance.

The pin rollers E and EE are each fitted with a line of pins Nos. ,5 and 6 spaced at intervals along the length of the rollers. These rollers are so timed that the pins pin roller EE to a point just beyond 90 where it is stripped from the pins by the cam operated finger bar FF.

Further revolutions produce the same effect as described in relation to the machine shown in Figure 1.

In the present case, two complete revolutions deliver three and a part eccentrically interfolded sheets into the vertical portion of the delivery tray as shown in the drawing.

it will thus be seen that by means of either of the arrangements described and illustrated, a pack of folded sheets of paper can be produced in which each sheet is folded once, and the alternate sheets are interfolded, the arrangn out being such that each sheet instead of being folded in half is folded eccentrically, so that the final length of the pack is greater than half the length of the cut sheets, thus enabling a pack to be produced having an overall length substantially equal to that produced by previously known machines but using cut sheets of paper considerably shorter in length.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for producing single folded sheets of paper interfolded with one another to form a pack comprising a pair of co-operating control rollers, a pair of cutting rollers co-operating with said control rollers for cutting said strips into sheets of predetermined length as the strips are fed to said control rollers, the cutting and control rollers of each pair having co-operating cutting parts suitably phased to ensure the overlapping of the cut sheets, and the control rollers having means for retaining the cut sheets in contact with the control rollers until the leading edges of the cut sheets reach the point of contact between said control rollers, stripper means for removing the cut sheets from the control rollers as the leading edges of the sheets reach said point of contact, a pair of co-operating folding rollers, means for delivering and guiding successive pairs of overlapped sheets to said folding rollers, said folding rollers having co-operating means for folding and interleaving the sheets, and a pair of reciprocable finger bars operating alternately with respect to one another and co-operating respectively with the two folding rollers for completing the folding operation initiated by said folding rollers, said folding rollers having a diameter greater than that of said control rollers but being caused to rotate at the same angular speed as said control rollers, whereby the folding of each sheet is effected eccentrically and the folded parts of each sheet have difierent lengths.

2. Apparatus for producing single folded sheets of paper interfolded with one another to form a pack comprising a pair of co-operating control rollers, a pair of cutting rollers co-operating with said control rollers for cutting said strips into sheets of predetermined length as the strips are fed to said control rollers, the cutting and control rollers of each pair having co-operating cutting parts suitably phased to ensure the overlapping of the cut sheets, and the control rollers having means for retaining the cut sheets in contact with the control rollers until the leading edges of the cut sheets reach the point of contact between said control rollers, stripper means for removing the cut sheets from the control rollers as the leading edges of the sheets reach said point of contact, a pair of co-operating folding rollers, means for delivering and guiding successive pairs of overlapped sheets to said folding rollers, said folding rollers having co-operating means for folding and interleaving .the sheets, and a pair of reciprocable finger bars operatin alternately with respect to one another and co-operating respectively with the two folding rollers for completing the folding operation initiated by said folding rollers, said control rollers and said folding rollers being spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the length of a cut sheet so that a drive on the cut sheets is established by said folding rollers before the drive on such sheets is lost by said control rollers, said folding rollers having a diameter greater than that of said control rollers but being caused to rotate at the same angular speed as said control rollers, whereby the folding of each sheet is effected eccentrically and the folded parts of each sheet have different lengths.

3. Apparatus for producing single folded sheets of paer interfolded with one another to form a pack comprising a pair of co-operating control rollers, a pair of cutting rollers co-operating with said control rollers for cutting said strips into sheets of predetermined length as the strips are fed to said control rollers, the cutting and control rollers of each pair having co-operating cutting parts suitably phased to ensure the overlapping of the' cutsheets, and the control rollers having means for retain ing the cut sheets in contact with the control rollers until the leading edges of the cut sheets reach the point of contact between said control rollers, stripper means for removing the cut sheets from the control rollers as the leading edges of the sheets reach said point of contact, a pair of co-operating folding rollers, means for delivering and guiding successive pairs of overlapped sheets to said folding rollers, said folding rollers having co-operating means for folding and interleaving the sheets, and a pair of reciprocable finger bars operating alternately with respect to one another and co-operating respectively with the two folding rollers for completing the folding operation initiated by said folding rollers, each of said folding rollers being provided with a plurality of spaced attachment means on its circumference for temporarily gripping each sheet of paper during the first part of the folding operation, and said finger bars being pivotally mounted and being controlled by cam means so as to execute reciprocating movements successively with respect to one another and complete the interfolding of the successive sheets of paper, said folding rollers having a diameter greater than that of said control rollers but being caused to rotate at the same angular speed as said control rollers, whereby the folding of each sheet is effected eccentricallv and the folded parts of each sheet have difierent lengths.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the distance between successive attachment means when measured round the circumference of either of said folding rollers is substantiallyequal to a cut sheet of paper when folded, and the attachment means on the two folding rollers are disposed between one another so that successive sheets are engaged by the different rollers alternately.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said spaced attachment means on each of said folding rollers comprise alternately arranged projecting tongues and cam controlled gripping devices, the tongues and gripping devices on the two rollers being arranged relatively to one another to enable the tongues on one roller to cooperate with the gripping devices of the other roller as the two rollers rotate.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said spaced attachment means comprise a row of projecting pins on each of said folding rollers, the pins on one roller being advanced approximately with respect to the pins on the other roller.

7. Apparatus for producing single folded sheets of paper interfoded with one another to form a pack comprising a pair of co-operating control rollers, a pair of cutting rollers co-operating with said control rollers for cutting said strips into sheets of predetermined length as the strips are fed to said control rollers, the cutting and control rollers of each pair having co-operating cutting parts suitably phased to ensure the overlapping of the cut sheets, and the control rollers having means for retaining the cut sheets in contact with the control rollers until the leading edges of the cut sheets reach the point of contact between said control rollers, stripper means for removing the cut sheets from the control rollers as the leading edges of the sheets reach said point of contact, a pair of co-operating folding rollers, means for delivering and guiding successive pairsof overlapped sheets :to said folding rollers, said folding; rollers having cooperating means for folding and interleaving the sheets, and a pair of reciprocable finger'bars operating alternately with respect to one another and co-operating :respectively with' the two folding rollers for completing .the folding operation initiated by said folding rollers, each of said folding rollers being provided with a pluces sively with respect to one another and complete the interfolding of the successive sheets of paper, said conf-trql rollers and said folding rollers being spaced apart by-a distance substantially equal to the length of a cut sheet so that a drive on the cut sheets is established by .said folding rollers before the drive on such sheets is lost by said control rollers, said folding rollers having a diameter greater than'that of said control rollers, but being caused to rotate at the same angular speed as said control rollers, whereby the folding of each sheet is effected eccentrically and the folded parts of each sheet have different lengths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,053,914 Hudson Feb. 18, 1913 1,253,644 Straubel Jan. 15, 1918 1,424,709 Bruder -Aug. 1, 1922 2,631,846

Sabee Mar. 17, 1953 

